After over 2000 miles of travel, we’re home. And Spencer is so happy. At bedtime, he curled up in the middle of our bed, as close as possible to both of us. And of course, I let him sleep right there. Just thought I’d share those first greetings he gave us as soon as we got home. I didn’t catch his wild run of joy through the house though – he’s just too fast for the camera.

Can you feel the love here? We can! He’s begged us to promise not to leave him for so long ever again.

singing for joy – and so was Spencer

didja miss me? didja miss me?

If I stay right here, he won’t be able to leave again

Quality Control Inspector

Spencer takes his job very seriously.

The Spencer-Sensor and How It Works

Hard at work, doing its job

Yes, Spencer has a sensor. He’s quite adept at using it, too. It’s a finely tuned instrument, able to detect the tiniest crumb in the most remote fold of clothing, and that long nose is perfectly shaped to push its way through protesting hands and go right to the source. And he usually gets what he came for! I can boast quite often of a crumb-free environment surrounding my person, thanks to the Spencer-Sensor.

Did you know that sensor is adaptable? Yes, I’ve watched it work its amazing feats at my feets … er … feet. Case in point: As I was preparing the bread for the dressing, it seems I was a bit sloppier than usual. Not to worry!! The Spencer-Sensor came to my rescue, and completely removed any trace of my clumsiness, even to the crumbs that lodged themselves on the top of my bare feet. I gotta tell ya, though – that tickles!! But the floor was mopped clean, my toes were mopped clean, and there wasn’t even a crumb left lurking in the folds of my jeans legs.

I have found certain items the Spencer-Sensor doesn’t remove once detected. As I was assembling the spinach salad, once again the clumsy gene took over my hands. About three leaves fell at my feet, and were immediately detected. And left lying there, slightly sampled and discarded as unworthy of the Sensor’s attention. Later, after our Christmas dinner, I noticed one of the kids had dropped a dried cranberry on the kitchen floor, where the Spencer-Sensor was busily cleaning up all evidence of our dinner droppings. He came to the cranberry, sucked it up, and immediately ejected. He sniffed and licked and sampled his way all around that cranberry, sniffing it and rejecting it. After awhile I got to feeling plumb sorry for that little cranberry and gently carried it to its final resting place, in our compost bucket.

So, that’s how I make the most efficient use of my Spencer-Sensor every day, but especially during holiday cooking. He’s also a very adept mine sweeper, by the way. He will sweep any area thoroughly, claiming anything within his reach as “Mine!” I think he learned that from the two-year-old. But that’s a story for another day. 🙂

How was YOUR Christmas day? Got any Spencer-Sensors and mine sweepers at your house??

(And yes, I did forget on this post too, to mention that world-famous WordPress Weekly Writing Challenge, “Just Do It.” So here’s the mention!)

Why A Spencer Is Better Than An Oreck

When it comes to cleaning the kitchen floor, NOTHING works better than a Spencer. I’ve had many different floor cleaners, and I realize Oreck is a good brand, but come on, let’s get real here. It doesn’t hold a candle to a Spencer. Why do I say that? Well, I will enumerate.

1. Suction Power: A Spencer leaves no crumb unvacuumed. Where an Oreck might miss the crumbs in the corners and under my feet while I’m cooking, I can always count on my Spencer to find every single one – whether I’m standing on it or not.

2. Removal of waste: A Spencer has a self-emptying bag. An Oreck must be emptied periodically to keep it from becoming gorged with floor-gunk, whereas my Spencer empties itself, without my help. But then . . . I do have to remember where it empties, and avoid that area until its contents have solidified.

3. Thoroughness: An Oreck just vacuums up the debris. My Spencer not only sucks up every single crumb in sight, but it also licks up any little grease spots in the process. When my Spencer is finished, the floor looks like it’s been mopped! Just try to get an Oreck to do that!!

4. Storage: After using an Oreck, it must be put away in the closet. A Spencer puts itself away!

5. Trip hazard: The electrical cord on an Oreck is long and one must be careful not to trip over it. A Spencer is self-propelled. No cords to worry about – but there may be just the slightest danger of getting rear-ended.

6. Cost: An Oreck is expensive. A Spencer works for Kibbles. And Bits. But mostly Kibbles.

7. Ease of operation: I have to push the Oreck around in front of me and direct it toward the item I want picked up. It can be tiring and slow. A Spencer not only is self-propelled (see item #5), but is also extremely fast. My Spencer is fine-tuned to sense where the crumbs and bits of food are about to fall, and can dart in almost before they hit the floor. A couple of times I’m sure they were caught in mid-air.

8. Motivation: An Oreck just sits there, waiting for me to force it into action. My Spencer is ready to work as soon as I get up in the morning, and leads me to the kitchen.

9. Multi-Use Function: An Oreck only cleans floors. My Spencer can find crumbs and remove them instantly from floors, beds, couches, shirts, and bathrobes, and can even clean any stray food particles from between my fingers. It would work just as well on faces if I’d allow that, but that’s what napkins are for. My Spencer is a floor-cleaner, face-washer, foot-warmer, lap-quilt, intruder-alert, guest-greeter, deer-stalker, and best buddy. Now I ask you, can an Oreck do all that?

10. And finally, unlike a Spencer, an Oreck has no personality. I rest my case.

David Oreck’s got nuthin’ on me!

This was written in response to this week’s WordPress writing challenge, and naturally, I neglected to provide a link to that so you could go see what others are writing. OOPS!! Anyway…hope you enjoy my top-ten list.